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This is my new stereo recording microphone. It consists of two very small electrets in brass tubes, held in place by clothespegs, and separated by a sleeping pillow, by way of Jecklin disc. I'm going to make a real disc some day.And this is how it sounds.Jim Miller's remark, in one of the discussion threads, prompted me to use omnidirectional mics instead of the cardioid ones I had been using. Apart from having more noise than a conventional condenser mic, the electrets are OK. The pillow is my own invention.

We have Old Dutch roof tiles (leaky), Dutch roof tiles, improved (less leaky), and Dutch roof tiles, improved again (don't leak).Here is a second (well, umpteenth) take of the Bach Sarabanda; I hope it is less leaky than the first. I am full of admiration for people who can do this for real!

Why do I do this? Not recording per se, but posting the recordings? Leaving the more perverted reasons aside, I believe there is a kind of honesty involved: you people should have an opportunity to know how much salt to take with my opinions -- quite a lot. And I would like to share the joy that I can play an imperfect Bach again!Leonard Cohen put it beautifully:

Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack in everything That's how the light gets in.

A month ago I picked up the Sarabande from BWV 1004 again. On first playing, it went sort of OK. So, let's practice it a while, and see what becomes of it.It gets more difficult by the day, that's what. I'll let you hear it. Update: upload succeeded.Second update: clip deleted.

Hear more from the world's top violinists in The Violinist.com Interviews: Volume 1, which includes our exclusive conversations with Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang, and David Garrett, and others, as well as a foreword by Hilary Hahn.